New Waterford community scout centre faces objections

The 31st Waterford Faithlegg Scout Group are facing objections to their plans to develop a new community scouts centre in Cheekpoint.

The centre will include a communal hall, toilets, meeting room, kitchen, external terrace, storage units, camping facilities, new vehicular entrance and car parking.

External facilities include an outdoor terrace/ BBQ area, a fire pit area for campfires, storage containers for camping equipment, along with bicycle parking and a planting zone.

31st Waterford Scout Group outline in planning reports that they plan on making the site available for other groups to take advantage of the facility and the local environs, including the Minaun nature area and walking trails and the Cheekpoint foreshore.

Groups using the site would likely be expected to number 30-40 people. Occasionally, there may be two groups using the camp grounds, which would mean 60 to 80 attendees.

Due to a number of appeals submitted by locals, the matter has now been taken up with An Coimisiún Pleanála.

The Cheekpoint Heritage Fishing Association outlined that the applicant "does not have legal entitlement to carry out any proposed development or realignment of the rope walk, a historical built structural feature constructed in the 17th century."

"The rope walk is an important historical feature of local industrial history and traditional fishery," the submission reads.

Residents in the area submitted that the applicant has not clearly demonstrated that they own the land that the ropewalk is on.

Other appeals added that the road infrastructure serving the site is inadequate to cater for the increased traffic volumes associated with the proposed scout hall.

The presence of wildlife on the proposed site was also a cause of concern.